Air Bags

[Tulecreeper]

I didn't realize air springs and air bags were two different things, I only found out about them yesterday. We are under our vehicle's towing capacity by a comfortable margin, but it's also an older vehicle that we need to try to get a couple more years out of. The main concerns are to not ruin the suspension and to get the headlights pointed back down to the road.

The pillar/door sticker on your tow vehicle will list your payload capacity. That number is the maximum weight the vehicle can carry and includes everything that was put in or added to the vehicle after it rolled off the assembly line - including the tongue weight on the trailer hitch.

Unfortunately, a quick search online shows that your 2011 Suburban has a towing capacity of ~5000 pounds, and a max payload capacity of 1564 pounds. The 2023 Jayco Flight 247RBS has an unloaded (dry) weight of 5340, and a GVWR (max weight, including all your stuff) of 6750.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your Suburban is way overloaded, both in cargo capacity and towing capacity. There is nothing you are going to be able to do to fix the problem other than get a beefier tow vehicle.

Sorry...

 

[Tulecreeper]

I guarantee your dealer did not set the WD hitch up correctly.

I don't believe that is the problem.

 

[scooterjm]

Unfortunately, a quick search online shows that your 2011 Suburban has a towing capacity of ~5000 pounds, and a max payload capacity of 1564 pounds. The 2023 Jayco Flight 247RBS has an unloaded (dry) weight of 5340, and a GVWR (max weight, including all your stuff) of 6750.

I don't think Google is correct. Here are my vehicle's specs based on my VIN, which jive with what the door stickers say:

Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front: 3600 lbs 3600.0 min 3600.0 max
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear: 4200 lbs 4200.0 min 4200.0 max
Curb Weight - Front: 3000 lbs 3000.0 min 3000.0 max
Curb Weight - Rear: 2743 lbs 2743.0 min 2743.0 max
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap: 7400 lbs 7400.0 min 7400.0 max
Gross Combined Wt Rating: 14000, 11500 lbs 11500.0 min 14000.0 max
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.: 5000 lbs 5000.0 min 5000.0 max
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.: 500 lbs 500.0 min 500.0 max
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.: 8000, 5000 lbs 5000.0 min 8000.0 max
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.: 1185, 810 lbs 810.0 min 1185.0 max

 

[Believer45]

I have a dealer-installed WDH but the rear of our tow vehicle still sags more than we'd like. Can air springs be used in conjunction with a WDH or is it a one-or-the-other scenario?

I bought my 2011 Ram 2500 from someone who towed a fifth wheel and had installed air bag helper springs for his fiver. I tow a 35' Windjammer bumper pull trailer that weighs 7800 lbs give or take, tongue weight is below ratings, all weights are good. I have no sway at speeds well iln excess of what I will tow at (just checking things out one time) and use the air bags to level the truck when towing. I run 10 psi when not loaded/towing, run 40-50 psi when towing the trailer. Yes you can use weight distributing and auxiliary air bags together.

In case you are interested, my scale weights are:

2011 Ram 2500 SLT crew cab 6.7 Cummins auto rear wheel drive
Cat scale weights
2013 Forest River Rockwood Windjammer 3008W
Hitch is Equalizer 4 point with sway control and 1200 lb weight distribution bars.

2011 Ram 2500 ratings

GAWR - front axle 5,000 lbs
GAWR - rear axle 6,010 lbs
GVWR 9,000 lbs
GCWR 20,000 lbs
Max payload 2330 lbs
Max tongue weight 1,200 lbs with weight distribution
Max trailer weight 12,550 lbs

2013 Windjammer 3008W ratings

GAWR each axle 4,000 lbs per VIN sticker, 4400 lbs per MFG tag on the axles.
GAWR trailer total 8,000 lbs per VIN sticker, 8800 lbs per MFG tag on the axles.
GVWR 8,800 lbs

Actual weights, no trailer

Truck front axle 4,000 lbs even (1000 under GAWRF)
Truck rear axle 3,000 lbs even (3100 under GAWRR)
Truck GVW 7,000 lbs even (2000 under GVWR)

Weights with camper hooked up, weight distribution active, loaded as above
Front axle 3,920 lbs (1080 under GAWRF)
Rear axle 3,920 lbs (2090 under GAWRR)
GVW 7,860 lbs (1140 under GVWR)
Trailer axles 6,700 lbs (1300 under trailer axle ratings of 8000 lbs)
(2100 under axle mfg rating of 8800 lbs)
Trailer weight 7,560 lbs (1340 under trailer GVWR of 8900)
GCW 14,540 lbs (5460 under GCWR)
Tongue weight 860 lbs (340 under rating) 11.3% of trailer weight
With weight distribution hooked up.

Dave / Believer45

 

[Tulecreeper]

I don't think Google is correct. Here are my vehicle's specs based on my VIN, which jive with what the door stickers say:

Gross Axle Wt Rating - Front: 3600 lbs 3600.0 min 3600.0 max
Gross Axle Wt Rating - Rear: 4200 lbs 4200.0 min 4200.0 max
Curb Weight - Front: 3000 lbs 3000.0 min 3000.0 max
Curb Weight - Rear: 2743 lbs 2743.0 min 2743.0 max
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Cap: 7400 lbs 7400.0 min 7400.0 max
Gross Combined Wt Rating: 14000, 11500 lbs 11500.0 min 14000.0 max
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.: 5000 lbs 5000.0 min 5000.0 max
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.: 500 lbs 500.0 min 500.0 max
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.: 8000, 5000 lbs 5000.0 min 8000.0 max
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.: 1185, 810 lbs 810.0 min 1185.0 max

I got my info from the Chevrolet Press Room site. Site Maintenance Where did you get those numbers based on your VIN?

At the very least you need to know which engine you have, the rear axle ratio, and 4x4 or 4x2 in order to find your towing capacity...and possibly whether or not you have some sort of tow package.